After a meeting with the Federal Government ended in a deadlock, The Joint Health Sector Unions has directed its members to embark on a 7-day warning strike action starting on Thursday June 23.
Nigeria’s Resident Doctors also began a warning strike on Monday over unpaid salaries and allowances. In a letter dated June and signed by its executives, JOHESU appealed for the general public understanding.
The letter reads:
JOINT HEALTH SECTOR UNIONS & ASSEMBLY OF HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS A COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF THE MEETING BETWEEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND JOHESU HELD ON TUESDAY 21st OF JUNE 2016 IN THE CONFERENCE HALL OF THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR, FEDERAL SECRETARIAT, ABUJA
Following repeated ultimatums totalling 92 days issued to the Federal Government by JOHESU, a meeting was called for Monday 20th of June, 2016 at the instance of the Federal Government at the Conference room of the Hon. Minister of Labour and Employment with a view to resolving the issues in dispute.
However, the Federal Government was not prepared for the meeting and therefore pleaded that the meeting be shifted to Tuesday 21st June, 2016 at 9.00am.
At the rescheduled meeting of Tuesday 21st` June, 2016, it was observed that despite the series of meetings earlier held with committees and subcommittees set up to look into the various issues presented by JOHESU and agreements reached, to our utmost surprise the Federal Government asserted that there was no agreement on the issues upon which the erstwhile Secretary to the Federal Government set up a sub-committee, the report of which was accepted by the Federal Government and another sub-committee set up to workout the financial implication, to be submitted to the Federal Government for approval.
Other issues upon which previous submissions had been made were equally pushed to the unions to make fresh submission showing lack of seriousness on the part of the Federal Government.
Having consulted widely with members nationwide and having shown consistent understanding since February 2015, the leadership of JOHESU hereby directs that all members in Federal Tertiary Health Institutions should proceed on a 7-day WARNING STRIKE from 12.01am of Wednesday 22nd of June, 2016.
We hereby appeal to the general public to please bear with us and impress it on the Federal Government to meet the demands of the unions to prevent the warning strike from becoming a full blown indefinite strike.
